Changes to TEXAS Grant program win tentative approval in House

The House gave tentative approval today to a Senate bill that would alter a popular grant program aimed at helping low-income high school seniors fund their college educations.

Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, the author of the House’s version, said the change would allow the applications of students who show college-preparedness to move to the top of the pile of grant applications. The TEXAS Grant program has helped more than 300,000 low-income Texans since it was created in 1999.

To determine college readiness, the bill outlines two of four options the student must complete to meet the requirement — which include completing the highest academic program available to high school students, earn 12 college credit hours through dual enrollment or Advanced Placement classes, or rank in the top one-third of their graduating class.

Currently, the program operates on a first-come, first-serve basis, while some academic requirements kick in after the student enrolls in college.

A staunch opponent to Branch’s bill, Rep. Helen Giddings, D-DeSoto, said the new proposal would hurt students in disadvantaged schools and will place them at the back of the line for the grant.

“TEXAS Grants was designed to give hope to low-income high school students,” she said. “We ask them to do certain things, and we told them they’d have an opportunity to go to college, and now we want to change the rules. The Texas Grants are going to the persons who need them the most.”

Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, said Branch’s bill is a response to the state’s belt-tightening as it faces a projected multi-billion budget deficit during the next biennium.

“We should not balance it [the budget hole] on the back of the recipients of the TEXAS Grant program,” Turner said.

The bill caused some high-profile defections within the Democratic caucus.

Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, who voted for the bill, said his colleagues should “not be scared of imposing some accountability standards on our students.” Other Democrats who voted for the bill include Reps. Pete Gallego, D-Alpine, and Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio.

“It’s not a decision I made lightly,” said Castro, who voted for the bill. “The financial elements to be in the pool are not changing. What we’re changing is who has a priority in line, and that’s where our measure of performance comes in. We not changing the fact that this is need-based grant.”